Malfoy's Downfall
by CNJ
Summary: In March of their 7nth year, Malfoy finally goes too far in bullying Harry, landing himself in BIG trouble. Completed!
1. Hint Of Spring

It's March of their seventh year and Harry's managed to mostly ignore Malfoy; at least Malfoy doesn't make him so mad anymore. This time, Malfoy really goes too far and gets himself into a heap of trouble! The usual disclaimers, none of the HP characters are places are mine, much as I wish dear Harry was. Oh, well! Soo, you'll all find out how Malfoy does himself in for good in... 

**The Downfall of Malfoy**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**1: Hint of Spring**

**Harry:**

"...The paper will be due on April 20," Our History of Magic Professor Binns announced. "And let's keep it to around twenty pages, please," she finished before dismissing class on a mild Wednesday in mid-March. I had to smile at Binns' use of reverse psychology on us. 

"Reverse psychology, it always works," my friend Hermione Granger told me as we walked out of class together. 

"I was thinking the same thing," I nodded. It was our last class of the day, so we headed up to the Gryffindor dorms to drop off our books. Neville and Ginny were there, playing wizard chess. Neville has his last class at one on Wednesdays while Ginny was on a break and had one more class at three. 

"I was outside a while ago and it's beginning to feel like spring already," Neville grinned up at us. 

"It'll be here soon," Hermione added. 

"Not to mention graduation in two months," I put in. Just then, Ginny's knight knocked out Neville's king with a clatter and Neville mock-groaned, then they both laughed and clasped hands. Neville and Ginny have been an item since late November when we the Gryffindors defeated the evil wizard Voldemort on a cold, windy night. 

As I went upstairs and dropped my books on the nightstand by my bed, I smiled softly, yet felt a small pang of sadness as I realized that I'd be here for just two more months. I looked around, taking in the cluttered, comfortable sight. Sunlight poured in, peering over the pile of mostly red and gold robes, sweatshirts as well as other colors and clothes scattered around. Books, papers, parchments, wands, quills, cauldrons, and brooms added to the piles. 

My winter home for the last seven years, I thought, running my hand through my thick black hair. So much has changed; so much has happened here. We all grew up here, went through puberty here, battled evil together. I remembered that cold, windy night we'd defeated Voldemort. 

The Gryffindors had been on a house retreat and he'd been lurking in the woods. All of us, along with the Order of the Phoenix, an association of adult witches and wizards battling evil, and the Young Order, which had many students from different houses, had banded together and chanted spells and driven the evil spirit out of him and he'd dissolved into ashes. 

That was cause for celebration for the entire wizard community here in London, since Voldemort had terrorized the wizard/ witch world for years and had slain my parents when I was just a baby. I ran a hand over my forehead that had once been marked by a rather ugly lightening-shaped scar that had been caused by Voldemort's wand when he killed my parents. 

That scar had stayed there until Voldemort was defeated. I'm glad to say that the scar is gone. The only thing on my forehead now is occasional worry lines. I'm getting them more often now with waiting for college acceptance notices and planning for graduation and adulthood. 

I changed out of my uniform into something casual and settled down to start on my homework. Once I got to the topic for the paper that was due in April, I decided to do the history of the women's movement in the magical and muggle world. The two movements in both worlds ran almost parallel, except that witches won the vote in 1886...over thirty years before muggle women in England did. I'd head to the library tonight to get the necessary books. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Yiiiiiii!" I heard the happy yelp late Saturday afternoon once my friends and I got back from Hogsmeade. Hermione had just gotten an owl telling her that she'd been accepted at Oxford U. Wow! All of us whooped and hugged her congratulations. I figured she'd make it; she's almost at the top of all of us seventh-years. 

Any day, more college notices would start pouring in. I just hoped I'd passed muster with Andrews and Wallace Arts College or Marlin U. My grades were quite good fortunately, especially the past two years and along with Hermione, this year, I'd made the honors list. The college notices would be another reminder that our years at Hogwarts were drawing to a close.   
  
  


The next chapter is when things get ugly with Malfoy. 


	2. Final Showdown Between Harry and Malfoy

**Downfall of Malfoy**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**2: Final Showdown Between Harry and Malfoy**   
  


**Harry:**

I printed out the final copy of my term paper on the women's movement on a quiet Saturday evening in late March. Finally, after several weeks of long, hard work, the paper was done and ready to be turned in on Monday. Saving it on both of my disks, I then slowly turned off the computer in the library. Almost done with my Hogwarts studies. Just a few more small assignments left and the final exams and I was ready to graduate. 

Almost everyone was at Hogsmeade, including Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. Luna was spending the day with her godmother and aunt just outside of London. So, I had most of the place to myself. There was only one other student in the library way down at a small table near the restricted section of the library besides the night librarian. 

I smiled softly as I remembered many nights that my friends and I had skulked around there. One vivid memory that stood out was my first year during the Christmas break. I'd been trying to dig up information on a Nicholas Flammel. It had been the night after Christmas and I'd worn my invisibility cloak and had taken a small lamp. 

I'd come across a book that actually screamed, then had almost been caught by Filch, one of Hogwart's caretakers. Argus Filch is around ninety years old, wears a perpetual scowl or sneer and loves catching students being out of their dorms after hours. He also always has his cat, Mrs. Norris in tow. Mrs. Norris is a rather bizarre cat. She'll sometimes come around you, yowl some and even weave between your legs, but the only person she lets pet her is Filch. 

That night I'd also almost run into two professors, Snape and Quirrel having an argument. I'd been so frightened that I'd swallowed, then put a hand to my mouth, my heart pounding in fear and terrified of one of them sensing my presence even with the cloak. Fortunately, neither of them had. 

I gathered my books and papers and headed up to the Gryffindor dormitory. It was still early, around eight or so, so I decided now was a good time to get a pile of robes and underwear washed. The pile had been sitting under my bed for a week, so I pulled it out and headed downstairs to the washroom to wash them. 

Wizard/witch washing is very different from muggle washing. Muggles use these big boxlike machines while magical washes just lets you run your clothes through a cylinder-shaped tunnel and it comes out clean and dry on the other side. It's about a fifteen-minute process, maybe half hour for tough dirt. You can even leave the robes on the hanger and it comes out ironed. So, while my things were washing, I wandered into the back kitchen for a snack. 

"May Dobby be of assistance, Mr. Potter?" A voice squeaked from the end table. 

"Oh, hello, Dobby," I smiled over at the tiny house elf that was perched at the table. "No, thank you, I'm just getting a few cookies and a little appleade. Thank you anyway." I poured myself some appleade and grabbed a few butter cookies from a cupboard near the wide stoves. 

"As you wish," Dobby bowed a little. I waved, then headed back to the washroom, which doubles as a bathroom. I always feel a bit silly when the house elves bow to us. They sure make great food. Dobby's just one of several dozen that work here at Hogwarts. They cook the meals and do a bunch of other odd-end cleaning jobs around the school. 

I was just finishing my snack when my clothes started out of the other side. I didn't have hangers with my robes, so I decided to fold them for now. There was another pile of robes on the flat table, so I moved it over a tad to fold mine. 

"Just where do you think you're putting _MY_ stuff?!" a voice startled me. An unpleasant, familiar voice. I looked up and saw Draco Malfoy heading into the room, glaring at me. 

Malfoy's one of the most conceited people I have ever met in my life. We've never gotten along and my friends have never liked him either. I didn't respond, just continued folding, not letting him intimidate me. Up until last November, he used to really anger me to no end. 

I guess the turning point came in mid-November when he'd gotten hold of my parents' album, which was very dear to me, and taunted me with it. I'd tried to get it back, but he'd levitated it into the torches' flame, burning it to ashes. And I, who had prided myself in never letting Malfoy see me cry, had dissolved into tears in front of everyone and had run out of the Great Hall in tears, utterly humiliated. My friends had come to comfort me. 

Looking back, it had been to worst to happen and I'd survived it. Of course I'd wept myself into exhaustion that night, much to my chagrin, but somehow, that awful night had given me a fresh determination and I'd gotten up and gone to classes and even aced a History of Magic quiz, then that Saturday, had played in a Quidditch game and had helped the Gryffindors win, much to Malfoy's disgust. 

So, I'd survived that low point of the year and had come back up, even though it took a while for my heart to mend. On top of that, I got a lot of compliments from others about how resilient I'd been and more and more kids were seeing Malfoy for the jackass that he is, including some of his own Slytherin housemates. Even his two yes-men, Crabbe and Goyle don't stick around him anymore these days. Since then, I've been able to just brush Malfoy aside more easily. He doesn't even make me mad anymore. 

"I guess you think you're too big to answer my question!" Malfoy snarled, lifting his lip in disgust. "Where do you get off touching _MY_ things!? If they're ruined..." 

"Your clothes are right there on the table," I told him coolly, gathering up my own things and heading upstairs. I thought I saw a pair of huge eyes under the table, but didn't pay any attention to them. As I started up the stairs to the dormitory, I heard furious footsteps pounding after me and tried to ignore them, but my own pace picked up. 

"You...really think you're big, don't you, Potter?!" Malfoy kept it up as he followed me. "Ever since you and your cronies destroyed Voldemort you've walked around this school with your nose in the air like some grand hero!!" My heart was starting to pound; I broke out into a cold sweat, but I willed myself to just ignore him like I'd been mostly doing the past few months. I reached my dorm and so did Malfoy. 

Remembering that he'd gotten into the dorms once before I stood and waited for him to leave. I think Malfoy was hoping I'd say the password and he'd hear it, so he could follow me in. Well, I wasn't giving him that chance. Malfoy glared at me, his gray cold eyes in slits. I just stared back, willing my heart to slow down and refusing to let him know that I was rather scared. 

Finally, Malfoy muttered, "I guess you're big stuff now, too big to even lower yourself to answer me..." before he turned on his heel and stalked off down the hall toward the Slytherin dorms. I watched a minute, then putting on a silencing spell, softly said the password _Passing Seals_, then went in. 

I don't know how it happened, but I guess Malfoy saw the Fat Lady portrait closing, but suddenly there was a bang and Malfoy slid in past the portrait after me just as it closed. I gasped some, dropping my clothes onto a chair and tried not to shake. 

"That's it, Potter, you're going to pay for your smart-alecky attitude and your thinking you're so much above me..." Malfoy hissed, advancing toward me. 

"Please leave." I struggled to stay calm. 

"I will when I get done with you!" Malfoy snapped, his eyes glittering dangerously. Thank the stars in Merlin he didn't have his wand with him. "First off, I haven't forgotten you and your little yes-crowd's grand stunt last year that got my father arrested and put in prison." He still was prowling toward me like a demonic cat about to pounce on a prey and I had to keep backing away. 

I didn't want to run up to the dorm rooms for fear he'd follow me there. And I was afraid to even turn away, for fear that he'd hit me and catch me off guard. Whatever happened, I was determined not to be dragged into a physical fight with Malfoy and possibly get into trouble two months before graduation. Malfoy was just not worth it. "Thanks to you, you disgusting little four-eyed worm, several of the best wizard families have fallen apart, including mine!" 

"Malfoy...please leave." I repeated, keeping my voice level and even, even though a cold sweat was starting in the back of my neck and I was starting to feel shaky and clammy. 

I saw a tiny creature scuttling under a couch and wondered what it was. Maybe one of my dormmates' cats or something? I pushed it out of my mind and tried to concentrate on getting Malfoy out of here before he did something like really lose it and pound me to a pulp. He was much taller than me and stronger, so I didn't doubt that he could if he really wanted to. 

"Oh, Potter, don't be giving me orders just because you're the Head Boy around here!" Malfoy lifted his lip and I could see that he had on crooked molar in his otherwise perfect teeth. "You and your little cronies think you run this place and butter up everyone who's too stupid to see you for what you really are! And if it isn't enough that my father's in Azkaban and my mother and I are stuck with my stingy grandparents because of you, you and your cronies get Head Boy and Girl as well as curry favor with the teachers, who are too blind and wishy-washy to see the real you and you think you all have it made..." Malfoy let out a sarcastic screech of a laugh that made a chill run down my spine and my hands start to shake. 

"Even Snape got stupid enough to go soft on you!" Malfoy carried on. "The bastard turned out to be a useless puppet of Dumbledore and McGonagall and their cronies! The only decent professor around here was Umbridge, but you and your little yes-men had to get her fired! I tried to teach you a little humility last fall, Potter, when I 'borrowed' your dear parents' album and gave it back to you in ashes. Ohhh, remember how you broke down blubbering in front of the whole school? But no, with your cronies sticking to you, you just stuck your nose up in the air and kept up your little pretense! You think you're good at hiding the real you from me, but don't think I was fooled for most of our sixth year; I know you were miserable and wanted to die; I regret that you didn't go through with blowing yourself up and sparing this already rotten school one more sniveling bastard! Then the grand scheme of destroying Voldemort made you really think you're something else!" 

"Malfoy...just leave...now..." I pointed to the door. "Or it's a detention." 

"Oh, looks like you can't do better than a detention" Malfoy purred. "Suppose I wait for your...little cronies to come back and jump to your aid?" 

"I don't think you want to do that." 

"Oh, no?" Malfoy gave another sarcastic laugh. Suddenly his face become so expressionless and cold that I shivered and backed away more. "Let's see if you can come out the grand hero of this..." With a swift motion he pulled his wand out of his pocket and snarled, "Crucio..." 

I tried to duck out of the way, but Malfoy's wand followed me and I crumpled against the wall, hot pain shooting through my body. Yelping and whimpering, I tried to curl up into a ball, but my body stiffened and I could only shake. 

"Bye-bye, sanity, Potty..." Malfoy chanted coolly. "Been intriguing seeing your little scarheaded mind when it was sane, but with the scar not there anymore, it's boring and pompous..." Malfoy laughed cruelly, plopping onto a chair. 

I knew I wouldn't be able to endure this much longer, so despite my panic and pain, I looked down the Common Room. The loo, I thought desparately. The crucio curse can't fire through a door. Get to the loo and close and lock the door. I willed myself to stand, my legs shaking and threatening to collapse under me. I staggered down to the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it. Relief flowed through me as I collapsed onto the floor, weak, shaking, and clammy, my tender skin still tingling from the dreaded curse. 

"Dratted Potter escaped again..." I heard him mutter. I just hoped he wouldn't go up into the dorm rooms. I then really began to shake violently and was breathing hard. 

"Don't think you can hide in the loo all night, Potter!" Malfoy yelled through the door. I swallowed hard and desparately thought of some way to summon a teacher or someone. "Did you hear me?!" Malfoy screamed again. "Hiding in the loo isn't going to make me leave!!" Malfoy yelled more threats through the door. I then saw a pair of huge eyes under the sink and gasped when Dobby's little head peered out. 

"Oh, Dobby, can you help me?" I quavered softly, hoping Malfoy didn't hear. 

"Yes, Dobby will find McGonagall and the Hogwarts security," Dobby nodded solemnly. "'Tis not good, Malfoy, no good at all what he does...will get help...hold on until Dobby and help comes back..." with that, Dobby hopped out of a window and vanished. 

Meanwhile, Malfoy yelled some more abuse that I tried to tune out. I seemed to be an hour or so and I began to worry that Dobby wouldn't find anyone. Malfoy would sporadically yell more things through the door and I thanked Merlin's skies above that the door was password-secured, so even with his wand, he couldn't get in. I finally heard other voices, then running footsteps. I just hoped it was someone who could help, that Dobby had summoned someone. 

"This is a private matter between Potter and me, please get out!!!" I heard Malfoy yell from all the way in the hallway, the yell echoing. It felt like several hours, but looking back on it, it was maybe one hour. More voices joined the garble and it seemed like someone was...fighting? I heard thuds, smacks, bellows, and one huge crash. I was still afraid to come out. Finally, the voices faded and someone knocked on the door. 

"Harry Potter?" McGonagall's voice come. 

"Oh...God!" I let out my breath in relief and opened the door. "Thank the stars you're here, Professor McGonagall!" I hugged her, just happy to see her. McGonagall stroked my black hair, murmuring soothing words. "Malfoy was just...oh, God..." my breath let out shakily. "Is he...?" I noticed several security aurors still around. 

"He's been taken away," McGonagall told me softly. 

"Mr. Malfoy is in custody now," one officer told me. "Are you all right?" she peered over at me. "You're not hurt?" 

"N-no..." I shook my head. "Wh-what happened? I heard all this noise..." 

"Mr. Malfoy's been arrested." 

"What?" 

"Arrested for what he did to you and for assaulting aurors," the officer continued. "Assaulting an auror is a felony under sorcerer law." McGonagall kept an arm around me as we went to sit on the couch. Dobby bounced in and sat near us on the couch. Auror Malrone looked me over, I guess verifying that I hadn't been seriously hurt. 

"Mr. Potter...can you tell me what transpired between you and Mr. Malfoy tonight?" she asked gently. So I told her, at least tried to give her a straight story. I was surprised that I got a little confused in some areas, being that I was still very shaken and my heart was still pounding, parts of my body still felt tender from the crucio burns and I was still clammy-skinned. 

Dobby added what he'd seen. It turned out that he'd watched the whole scene unfold between Malfoy and me, first from the washroom, then had followed us upstairs and watched from under a couch, then had sneaked into the bathroom right as I went in. 

"Thanks, Dobby..." I told him with a grateful smile once the aurors gathered around to take notes. 

"Mr. Potter, you handled yourself quite well," McGonagall gave me a warm smile. "I think Mr. Malfoy will not be bullying you anymore. In fact, I just contacted Dumbledore and we can safely say that Mr. Malfoy will not be allowed to return to Hogwarts at all." I nodded numbly, the events of tonight still sinking in. 

Vaguely, I recall looking over and seeing my books, robes, underwear, and paper on the chair near the chess tables. It seemed like ten hours ago that I'd finished the paper and laundry. It's still a blur even now, but other students trickled in just as the aurors were leaving. My friends came back just as the last one and McGonagall left. Their widened eyes peering at me in worry asked five million questions. 

"Oh...Harry, what happened?!" Ron gasped. 

"Are you all right?" Luna added. Hermione came over and hugged me. 

"I think...I'll be..." I told them. My friends along with several dormmates sat near me. 

"McGonagall hinted about something with Malfoy..." "Did he assault you?" "Are you all right?" were some of the questions. Shakily, I haltingly told them what had transpired. 

"Oh, God," Hermione gasped. "Well, thank Merlin you weren't hurt." 

"And Malfoy's ass is out of Hogwarts!" Ron put in. 

"I figured Malfoy's finally getting his big-time," Ginny put in. "I'm glad you're all right." 

"And you were smart, not getting into a fight with that bastard," Mintra McGonagall put in. Mintra is McGonagall's great-niece and is a first-year. 

"God, I think I would have slugged the ass," Neville added. 

"You?" Dean asked in surprise. 

"Yup. Malfoy's one exception to my normally never hitting anyone," Neville nodded. I began to feel a little more relaxed, glad that this ordeal was over. We talked a while longer and had a little butterbeer, then went up to sleep at almost midnight. 

I had a hard time falling asleep, though, and read on and off, my mind replaying tonight over and over. There was nothing you could have done, Harry, I told myself. Thanking the stars above that I hadn't let myself be drawn into a physical fight with Malfoy, I turned off my little lamp and drifted off to sleep.   
  
  


I think there'll be just one more chapter to this story, then it'll be done! Thanks, Esperanza, for adding your review; I loved your feedback on the two reviews that you added to my stories! There'll be other stories soon! 


	3. Hearing Of Malfoy

**Downfall of Malfoy**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**3: Hearing of Malfoy**   
  


**Harry:**

  
  


Looking back on the seven-year conflict between Draco Malfoy and me, I guess I'd have to admit that we are both to blame. I was shaken up a little that Sunday after, but oddly relieved. I knew Malfoy's father was now in Azkaban for his part in the floo-jacking incident that took place last year; that much had been reported in the _Daily Prophet_. Malfoy's mum had not had a career and had mostly depended on Lucius for the family's income. 

Now with Lucius being arrested almost two years ago, that was gone and I'd heard that Narcissa had to now live with her parents and Draco Malfoy had to go there for holidays, which I could tell didn't make him happy. Disgusted as his behavior often made me feel, I now realized that I pitied Malfoy, in fact his entire family; his dad had been an even bigger ass than his son and he'd passed a lot of his bigotry and snobbiness to Draco. 

"You really should have kicked his ass," Ron told me at breakfast on Monday morning. 

"What good what that have done?" I shrugged. 

"He'd have quit harassing you, for starts." 

"But then Harry would have gotten into trouble too," Hermione put in. 

"It sure wouldn't have been worth it so close to graduation," Luna added. 

"You know what Luna and I are going to do?" Ginny asked. 

"What?" Hermione and I asked simultaneously. 

"Miss you all next year when you're gone," Ginny's mouth drooped. 

"We'll miss you too," I told her. 

"Let's all promise to owl often," Hermione told us. We did. 

"Speaking of owls, the mail's here," Neville looked up. 

Sure enough, owls floated toward the tables from the ceiling. I got a reply from my aunt and we got the announcement that our Enlightenment Ceremony was on Friday, May 6. The Enlightenment is a formal ceremony welcoming sorcerers into adulthood that all seventh years go through. 

There was also the formal announcement of the exchange trip that the seventh years were taking to the United States to visit a wizard/witch school in New York City, the Shankspell Academy of Sorcerery. That trip will be over spring break in April. The whoops and cheers of several seventh years bounced up and down the Great Hall. A last letter plopped down in front of me and opening it, I gasped a little when I saw it was a notice to report to McGonagall's office tomorrow at two. 

"It's Malfoy's hearing," I said, my brows taught in worry. "I'm...I'm...supposed to testify." Hermione reached over and touched my slightly shaking hand. Then we all looked over at the space at the Slytherin table where Malfoy once sat. 

"Well, you can kick his arse verbally," Ron grinned. "Just tell it like it is and don't mince words." 

"I'll try," I tried to relax. "I'm...kind of feeling bad for Malfoy...I know he acted like an asshole most of the time we knew him, but I think of his home situation and his awful dad..." I shook my head sadly. 

"Still doesn't excuse the crap that he pulled, especially on you," Ron stated. "I mean, look at all you went through with your nasty aunt and uncle before you met your great-aunt Miranda. You didn't use that as an excuse to act like a centauri's behind." We laughed a little then, then got ready for class. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I tried to put Malfoy and the hearing out of my mind and just concentrated on my classes. I turned in the Women's Suffrage paper and the professor beamed, pleased that I'd turned it in early. McGonagall reminded us of the huge final exam in Transfiguration and we all groaned predictably. The day sped by and as I headed upstairs to change after classes, I heard a little voice calling me. I looked around, startled a minute with one foot on the winding staircase, then saw the source of the voice. 

"Oh...hello, Dobby," I greeted. 

"Hellooo, Harry," Dobby smiled up at me. "Dobby just wants you to know that Dobby will be at Mr. Malfoy's hearing and will testify in your defense." 

"Thank you." I started up and Dobby bounced up beside me. "I got a letter to come too." I fished it out of my pocket and showed it to Dobby. 

"Dobby receives like letter too. Dobby is forever grateful to you for freeing him from the Malfoys back in your second year when you were still a child. It gives Dobby pleasure to see what a mature young man you've grown into." 

"Thanks..." I blushed. 

"Must go and help with supper, will see you tomorrow." With that Dobby leaped back down the stairs and vanished through a side door that only house elves can fit through. I smiled softly and headed to our dormitory. In the dorm room, I dumped my books and quills beside my bed, letting out my breath. At first, I thought I was the first one here, but then sensed another presence. It was confirmed when I saw a movement at Ron's bed. 

"Ron?" I called. I headed over. The curtain was partially open and sure enough, Ron was there. But he was hunched over a letter and his shoulders seemed to be...heaving some and his breathing was ragged. "What's...?" Ron looked up and I was surprised to see tears in his eyes. Ron rarely cries. "What's the matter?" I asked in alarm. 

"I...didn't get in..." Ron took a deep, shaky breath. 

"Oh, dear..." I then knew it was a college rejection. "Which one?" 

"Bartmey..." Ron struggled to hold back his tears, but they spilled over anyway. My heart went out to him. 

"Oh, dear, I'm so...sorry..." I told him softly. Quickly I put a silencing charm around the bed, so others coming in wouldn't hear us. I knew Ron would be mortified if anyone else saw him in tears. I then put a tentative hand on his shoulder. 

I guess that got to Ron because he dissolved into tears and I encouraged him to lean on me and let it out. He'd done the same for me so many times when I'd needed to cry over these past seven years, so now it was my turn. After a few minutes, Ron's tears had slowed and I handed him tissues. "Feeling better?" Ron shrugged. "You haven't heard from Braxton or Hazelfield, have you?" 

"No..." 

"You still have those two you're likely to get into," I said softly. "And besides, Braxton U. was impressed by your Quidditch record. Braxton has a swell Quidditch team. Your NEWT scores were good too." Ron nodded, seeming calmer. We'd taken the NEWTS back in the fall. Two years ago, we'd also taken the OWLS as well. 

"I guess I'd better get into either of those two or my dragon's cooked," Ron managed a weak laugh. I smiled a little too, knowing that he was feeling better. As I headed to my own bed, Ron called, "Harry...." I turned. "Thanks." 

"Anytime." I went to my bed and worked on my homework until dinner. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Tuesday I was too nervous to do anything with my lunch besides toy with my food. I'd been excused from class to testify. As I left, my friends called good luck. By the time I got to McGonagall's office, my hands were shaking and my legs felt rubbery. I felt a bit of the fear that I'd felt on Saturday night when Malfoy had cornered me in the loo. Relax, I commanded myself. Malfoy's being watched and the teachers are there too. Dobby met me outside the tall door and we smiled at each other. 

"Come in, dears..." McGonagall looked out and waved us in. Much to my relief, Malfoy wasn't there. Several security aurors were there too and I swallowed when I saw a black-cloaked dementor in the corner. Dementors are really not pleasant creatures and I'd fainted the first time I saw one at the beginning of my third year. They used to guard Azkaban, but for the past two years it's regular aurors that guard Azkaban. 

"So, Harry...all you will have to do is enter this pensieve and talk into this CD," Professor McGonagall explained. "Since Mr. Malfoy's hearing is a closed one, that will be your testimony. You too, Dobby." I let out my breath in relief. So I wouldn't have to testify with Malfoy's cold gray eyes glaring at me. I shivered slightly, remembered that glare from Saturday and his threats. 

"Don't be nervous, Harry," McGonagall stroked my back. "Just take some deep breaths and try not to shake so much." I nodded. Several security officers spoke, then several aurors. It turned out that Malfoy had broken the arm of one of them, had given another a moderate concussion, and put the crucio curse on several others. Three were still in the hospital recovering. Their testimony had been taken already. 

Dobby described what he saw through the pensieve, then it was my turn. I told what I remembered and I was encouraged to see McGonagall smile and nod. I stammered quite a bit and my hands shook, but I got through it without an anxiety attack and sat back when I was done. 

McGonagall added her piece last. What had happened when I was in the loo was that Dobby had gone to get McGonagall and the security. When the security came, Malfoy had tried to "casually" head back to his own dorm, but some of the security had caught up to him in the hall and that must have been when he'd yelled about it being a _private matter between Potter and me_. 

The security had surrounded him, insisting on knowing what was going on and who was in danger. That's when Malfoy started swinging at them and one of the security had then summoned the aurors. When the aurors came, Malfoy had assaulted several of them physically and with the crucio curse 

That's when McGonagall had come, stunned Malfoy and the aurors managed to bind Malfoy and levitate him away. Just as quickly as it had begun, it was over. I think all of us were relieved. McGonagall stroked my shoulder and smiled down at me. "Well done, Mr. Potter. You may head back to class now." 

"Thank you." I had one more class, so I headed to it. As I walked down the hall, I passed another office and sure enough, Malfoy was being ushered in there with who I assumed to be his grandparents and a horde of aurors. He must be testifying too, I realized. My throat went dry as Malfoy saw me and his gray eyes grew hard with hatred. I'd been hoping to go by without him seeing me, but had no luck. 

We stared at each other a long minute, Malfoy's eyes full of cold hatred and mine a bit sad, but mostly expressionless, I think. I felt no anger, no hatred, just plain pity and a trace of sadness. Sadness, I guess for him being lost and his soul being buried in hatred. 

"Oh, it's you...Potter," he spat. "Come to gloat, you rotten bastard?" 

"No, Malfoy," I said softly and sadly. "I just..." 

"Then get your sorry behind out of my sight, you disgusting slime," Malfoy snapped. 

"Draco, get in here..." I could hear his grandfather bark from the office. 

"I'm very sorry things ended this way with us, Malfoy," I shook my head, then turned and fled down the hall, not looking back again as the aurors pushed Malfoy inside, I suspect to give him his final sentence. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"So, did it...?" Ron asked at dinner. 

"Yes, it's over," I finished another chicken piece. "He's out." 

"Good." Luna nodded. 

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked. 

"I guess I will be," I told her. 

"God, you're gloomy for someone whose worst enemy got his come-uppance," Ron quipped. 

"I guess I am," I said sadly. "I really didn't wish this on Malfoy, even though he acted like an ass." 

"Harry, Harry, you're a hopeless idealist," Ron laughed a little. "You try so hard to give even the worst idiots the benefit of the doubt. You even got all reflective over Malfoy ever since last November when he burned your album." 

It was true. I guess Malfoy had done the worst thing that November day when he tossed my parents' photo album into one of the torches and burned it to ashes, bringing me to tears in front of everyone and humiliating me. I'd survived that stinging experience and had bounced back and that I guess when I realized that getting angry over Malfoy's behavior was counterproductive and useless. 

"Either way, I'm glad it's over," Hermione added. 

"Me too," I agreed. And it was. I was relieved and ready to move on with my life, especially getting ready for our last two months here at Hogwarts. There was also next year when we'd be adults and move out on our own as well. That was a new start to look forward to.   
  
  
  


_Copyright 2002 by_ **CNJ**


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